The Temptation of Gracie

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Throughout the book there are a number of scenes with Samantha and Heathcliff, the couple from the second book in the series. I really enjoy Grace’s friendship with Samantha and how supportive Samantha was of Grace. Plus I really like Samantha and Heathcliff as a couple so it was fantastic seeing them again. The couple from the first book, Liliah and Lucas, appear towards the end of the book and I enjoyed seeing them again as well.

Ramsey Scott, Marquis of Sterling, could never live up to his father’s exacting standards & for years has thought of himself as a failure, so he’s the last man who should stand guard over the lovely Miss Grace Morgan ward of his close friend & joint club owner. Grace sees herself as clumsy, forever tripping over things & she most be the world’s most awful dancer, even Grace isn't her first name but Iris Grace Morgan desires to be called Grace, when she makes her debut. An ARC was provided to me for free by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was glad to that a certain storyline regarding Gracie's uncle was included, it didn't feel patronising or unrealistic in any sense of the word. I will say romance, forbidden love, heartbreak and playing a dangerous game all form part of Gracie's secret. I very much enjoyed all of this but would have liked even further development on the romance front. As for Gracie in the present and her ending there was a very surprising element which when revealed helped me make sense of some things I had found confusing while reading. But still I would have loved to have heard from a certain character which would have allowed for some filling in of the gaps with regard to the missing years. When Gracie Burton stumbles upon an advertisement for a week-long cookery course in the heart of the Tuscan countryside,she cannot resist, and ploughs her life savings into the trip.If you like your stories to have drama, romance, secrets (oh what secrets!), humour and of course food then this is the book for you. A perfect summer read, in fact a perfect anytime read. One final shout out about this book and that is the characters: they were all wonderful. However, my particular favourite was Flappy Scott-Booth – the bossy, snobby, interfering head of Badley Compton Ladies’ Book Club. She was an absolute delight to read about and added several (unintentional on her part) comedy moments. I’m desperately hoping she appears in more books in the future. The Temptation of Gracie is romantic – in the broadest sense of the word – although there is definitely romance in it as well. Mostly, it is about love – between men and women; between uncles, nieces, and nephews; between fathers and children; between mothers, daughters, and grand-daughters.

Ramsey Scott, the Marquess of Sterling, has worked all of his life to avoid scandal, but it's finally caught up to him. Having already been married and then divorced has made him feel as if he's a failure. Still, when Ramsey's friend asks him to help with Grace, Ramsey cannot deny him. Unfortunately, Grace is being pursued by the enemy. Can Ramsey put a stop to it before it's too late? One day, Gracie encounters an advertisement in a magazine, announcing that Castle Montefosco, in Tuscany, is currently open to the public. Strangers can come and stay for a few days and learn how to cook authentic Italian food. Although everyone knows Gracie as someone who hates leaving the comfort of her small town in England, she makes the seemingly crazy decision to travel to Italy. It has been a long time since I have read anything by this author, so unfortunately this is the first book in this series that I have read. And while that didn't take away from my enjoyment of this story, I do feel that certain parts would have made more sense had I read the prior novels. Born in England in 1970 Santa Montefiore grew up on a farm in Hampshire and was educated at Sherborne School for Girls. She read Spanish and Italian at Exeter University and spent much of the 90s in Buenos Aires, where her mother grew up. She converted to Judaism in 1998 and married historian Simon Sebag Montefiore in the Liberal Jewish Synagogue in London. They live with their two children, Lily and Sasha in London. The Temptation of Gracie is a standalone book, centered around Gracie herself, her daughter Carina and granddaughter Anastasia. It is again set in Italy and Devon and also over dual time-frames. Elderly Gracie Burton lives in Devon, where she spends her time walking her two dogs along the cliffs and helping to organise various events in the village. According to herself, and to the knowledge of her friends and even her own family, Gracie has led an unremarkable life, so when Grace suddenly announces that she is going to Tuscany to stay in a castle for a week-long Italian cookery course, it not only sets tongues wagging but has just about everyone she knows aghast at the idea. As Gracie sets off to sunnier climes, reluctant daughter and granddaughter in tow, the memories stirred up by the trip for Gracie that will have long-lasting implications for all of them.

What ensues is a delightful read that jumps between Gracie spending 10 years of her life in Italy in the 1960s and the cookery course in 2010. Thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Shuster UK for a digital galley in exchange for an honest review. Gracie tells Carina that she is going to go to Italy and Rufus suggests that she and Anastasia accompany her. Unusually for me I found myself enjoying the present day scenes and the 1960s scenes equally. The tantalising romances that flitted through both time periods were wonderfully exciting to read. Ramsey was a more interesting main character than Grace, but I still couldn't get past the slow pace and the fact that I felt the the story was, well, just boring. Not sure why I kept feeling that way, but it made it hard to finish.

The Temptation of Grace is my first book by Kristin Vayden and the third book in a series called Gentlemen of Temptation.

Despite the fact that he utterly abhors scandal and is considered proper and uptight by his friends, Ramsey Scott, the Marquess of Sterling has scandal attached to his name. He's spent his life trying to live up to his father's ridiculous expectations of perfection and never believing himself to be worthy or good enough, especially after his disastrous marriage and subsequent divorce brought shame to the title.

Miss Iris Grace Morgan is doing her best to at least hold up to the "grace" part of her name, but what a struggle it is. Her guardian and his wife are about to launch Grace into society and she must be prepared for anything. Starting over should be easy, right? Santa Montefiore in 2013Gracie Burton is an unassuming widow, living independently with her two dogs and keeping herself busy by involving herself in various village activities in Badley Compton in Devon. She has a reputation for efficiency and for getting things done and is relied upon by the unlikely-named Flappy Scott-Booth, who sees herself as the self-appointed lady of the manor – for which, read busybody. Gracie claims to have led an unremarkable life and no one has any reason to disbelieve her – not even her nearest and dearest. Maybe the novel was a bit predictable in some regards, but it didn't honestly spoil the experience for me. I was *rooting* for my predictions to come true, expecting they would, but hoping they'd come faster.

Personal Review: So the plot summary given by the publisher is not really reflective of what happens in the story. All the elements happen, just not how the summary would have you believe they do. It is obvious throughout this novel that Santa Montefiore spent time in Tuscany herself. The romantic and vivid ambience is described so well I felt that I was there and drinking it all in. The story is tastefully written (and I’m not just talking about the food) and vibrant in sound, colour, and taste – a true feast for the senses. Miss Iris Grace Morgan is hoping to live up to her name and show a bit of grace during her first season. But after a near disaster at her first event, Grace isn’t sure that’s going to happen. Ramsey Scott, Marquess of Sterling, avoids gossip and scandal like the plague but after witnessing Grace’s debacle, he cannot help but offer his assistance. However the more time Ramsay spends with Grace, the more he finds himself drawn to her. And after Grace unexpectedly shows up at Ramsay’s office in his club, the pair are unable to ignore their attraction any longer. I very much enjoyed where the story was going here but for me it just didn't completely come together. The details weren't all there or it just wasn't given enough time to grow-I'm not sure which.